Snake Charmer
by Calliope29
Summary: Cossette Malfoy has a special talent that revealed itself soon after birth and captured the attention of Voldemort himself. This is a secret kept from her by her parents. This is the story of her first year at Hogwarts (set during CoS) where she learns that being Draco Malfoy's younger sister comes at a price and befriends the Harry, Ron and Hermione. (First in series)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter but Cossette is my own invention**

**Alright here is the first chapter in what I hope will be a series about Cossette and her time at Hogwarts. I completely intend for there to be some romance in these pages but I'm not fixed on a character yet. Ideas are welcome as well as constructive criticism! This should be entirely from the third POV and I might toy with some of the characters so expect some OoC, though I'll be as true to the original personalities as possible. Anyway, onward with the story!**

* * *

A small child, barely a five months old, whom had already grown long wavy locks of platinum blonde hair and whose eyes were a soft grey sat in her mother's arms and was oddly silent.

Perhaps she'd sensed the mood was thick and heavy or maybe she was just timid at heart. Others might recall how fussy and demanding her brother had been, and still was, at her age. But not she; she remained resolutely mute as she scanned the table full of people before her.

By far the oddest among the twenty or so people was the one who resided at the head of the table. She could not tear her eyes away from the man and it seemed they were having a staring contest as his crimson eyes bore into her silver ones.

Narcissa shifted her child in her arms uncomfortably. She did not particularly enjoy the way the Dark Lord was observing her daughter, as thought he expected Cossette to do cartwheels or sprout wings.

Cossette was oblivious to her mother's distress and serenely smiled at the Dark Lord as if greeting an old friend. She appeared most interested in the large snake that dwelled on his shoulders, its forked tongue flickering.

Finally Narcissa couldn't stand the silence pressing down on the room, "My Lord?" she asks tentatively.

Underneath the table her husband squeezed her hand. Whether it was meant to warn her to be quiet or to comfort her she couldn't tell.

It was as if a spell had been broken. Voldemort shifted his piercing gaze from Cossette to Narcissa. "Yes?" He asks, his voice sounding inviting enough but there was warning and danger written underneath the guise.

"I- did Cossette," she fumbled for the correct words, choosing them carefully like her life depended on it, which it very well did.

Voldemort seemed to pluck the question from her mind however, and got the gist of her incoherent sentence. "The child is fine, Narcissa. I just wondered," his gaze reverts back to the girl before he hisses something to his snake in Parseltongue.

Narcissa closes her eyes as the meaning behind the series of hisses was lost on her. She could only hope he wasn't ordering the snake to eat Cossette.

She glances down to her daughter to see if she was disturbed by the unusual sounds but instead of seeing fear on her daughters face she was grinning. Then, to the shock of everyone in the room, including Voldemort, she hisses back, mimicking the sounds he'd just made.

The entire room freezes, breath held as they stared at the girl. The Dark Lord was the first to recover his wits. "It seems," he says, "Your daughter is a Parseltongue, Narcissa_."_

Narcissa jerks her head up from looking at her daughter to staring at her Lord, "Couldn't she have just copied what she heard, My Lord?" she asks uncertainly.

Then to the horror of most, he smiles, no, grins at the child. The gesture was filled with malicious glee. His eyes were cold as he stands and strides over to the family, robes billowing in his wake.

"May I?" He asks, extending his arms out, though it clearly wasn't a question but a disguise, incognito.

Narcissa gulps but realizes she has not choice. Carefully she passes Cossette to her master with pained eyes. Across the table Bellatrix grins at her sister as if this was the most wonderful thing to ever occur.

The Dark Lord looks at the child in his arms, his interest piqued. His eyes were most certainly not full of tender care but there was hardly any blood lust either. As it would happen, he looked rather curious. After all, he'd never met another Parseltongue.

He extends his pointer finger and watches as she reaches out her small hands to grab the proffered limb. She held onto it and Narcissa's eyes fluttered closed, fearing enough for both herself and her daughter, whom looked perfectly content to sit in the arms of the most evil wizard known.

The snake slithers towards them, hissing into the otherwise silent room. Cossette responds to the snake before saying in English, "Snake."

Narcissa freezes and can't help but think what a bad omen it was that her daughter's first word would be that vile creature and uttered in the arms of the Dark Lord. Luscious silently squeezes his wife's hand again.

Meanwhile, Voldemort was grinning again, "Did you hear that?" he asks the table of on looking death eaters, "Snake."

"Snake," Cossette repeats earnestly, "Snake."

Voldemort hands Narcissa back her child and sweeps back to his seat. Narcissa hushes her daughter who was babbling in Parseltongue now, as if a switch had been thrown when she was in the Dark Lords arms and she'd found her voice.

_"Silence child_," Voldemort hisses though he looked slightly amused.

Cossette's stream of words ebbs away and she gives Voldemort her full attention, staring at him unblinkingly.

Voldemort contemplates her for a moment before turning to her parents, "She shall join the ranks when she is of age," he decides, much to the horror Narcissa, "I will be the one to train her."

Narcissa and Luscious share a look of terror but mutter, "Yes, My Lord."

He claps his hands together and says, "Excellent. Now that that is settled I have some very important business to attend to."

It is not lost on Narcissa when Severus, who'd remained unusually quiet that meeting, stiffens slightly. Bellatrix stands to follow her Lord but he holds up a hand, "No Bella, this I must attend to on my own. You are all dismissed."

Several death eaters disaparate on the spot though some shuffle towards the nearest fireplace, intending to floo away. Severus remains planted firmly in his seat as they watch Voldemort get ready to disaparate away.

"Bysie bye!" Cossette calls at his retreating form.

With a small crack he is gone, not acknowledging the girls valediction, and leaving Bellatrix and Severus alone with the Malfoys.

Bellatrix grins in their direction and says, "Your daughter is very lucky."

Narcissa's sister begins to fuss over the child who was in the Dark Lords favor, cooing at her and allowing her to grab hold of her hair. She seemed to be under the impression that it was a good thing the girl responded so well to being in the Dark Lords presence.

Luscious shares a glance with Severus, the two had always been on good terms with one another. Without words Severus conveyed his pity for the young child who was beginning to babble in Parseltongue once more.

Narcissa stands, "I'm going to lay her down and then feed Draco. Bella, you're more then welcome to stay the night if you wish. You to Severus."

Bellatrix says, "I can't. I have to go see Rudolphus," she straightens and heads for the floo network, disappearing in a flash of green fire.

"Nor can I. I have… plans," Severus hesitates.

Narcissa raised her eyebrows and Luscious snorts, "You're hardly the social butterfly, Severus. What are you actually doing? Do you have a potion you're making?"

Luscious exits the room, something about wanting to see his son, and Narcissa and Severus regard one another for a moment. "Good bye, then," she says, following her husband from the room.

Severus watches her back retreat and disaparates away but not before muttering, "Good luck, Cossette Bellatrix Lillian Narcissa Malfoy."

* * *

**So review! Tell me what you think. Again, ideas and constructive criticism are welcome!**

**Like it or not,**

**Juliet (Calliope29)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter but Cossette is my own invention**

**Hello again! So here's the next chapter. This is still set during Cossette and Draco's childhood but next chapter will mark the start of Cossette's first year and Draco's second. So bear with me, we're almost at the interesting part! ;)**

* * *

Narcissa stood in the doorway of the nursery, watching as her daughter stared wonderingly at the ceiling of the room. Luscious had long since charmed it to look like the night sky and the constellations blinked down at her.

Draco too had once taken an interest in the lights but now he was almost two and had become accustomed to their presence and was no longer at a loss for words. No, quite the opposite really. It seemed all the boy could do was blabber away.

Though now he was silent, having just been fed he was now content to lie in his crib and sleep. Cossette was more of a night owl but she hardly made a peep. Chuckling slightly and trying to forget yesterday's events and her daughters pending doom, she flicked the lights off and all that was left was the glow of the nightlight.

She was just closing the door, as quietly as possible so not to disturb Draco, when a loud bang resounds through the house. Narcissa freezes but Draco didn't appear to have woken. Quickly casting a charm to prevent any other noise from reaching her son's ears, she turns to investigate the source.

"Narcissa!" Her husbands voice cries from downstairs. He sounded torn between being elated and horrified but mostly he sounded like he was still in shock and trying to process something.

She finds him in the kitchen, pacing back and forth, "What it is?" she demands because in all honesty he looked a little unhinged. Unhinged and Malfoy typically did not go hand in hand.

He glances up like he only just realized she was there, "The Dark Lord!"

She looked taken aback, "Yes, what about him, Luscious?"

"He's… he's gone!"

Narcissa can only stand there and stare at him, the words appeared to have gone in one ear and out the other. Finally they register and she splutters, "What? How? Impossible!"

"How? That is the question, isn't it?" He pauses abruptly and hesitates to continue, "That urgent business he had to attend to yesterday…" he drifts off.

Narcissa can see the apprehension on his face and knew that this good news was laced with something he thought would upset her, "Luscious," she grouses, growing tired of the pregnant pause, "What happened?"

He crosses the kitchen to take his wife's hands, "He murdered James and Lily Potter," he spits out quickly, knowing that Narcissa was always friendly with Lily even making her name one of their daughters middle names, "He tried to kill their son, Harold-"

"Harry," Narcissa corrects automatically but it appeared that she hadn't registered her own words, silent tears streamed down her face.

"Yes, Harry," he continues, "He tried to kill Harry as well but he couldn't. Nobody knows why but he's just gone. Not even a whisper!"

Narcissa nods, still rather dumbstruck, sniffles once and then sighs, "This is great news, it's really a shame that it is tainted by the blood of my friend." She settles herself into a chair and lazily flicks her wand. A kettle finds it's way over a flame of the stove.

"How are the children?" He asks, looking for a change in subject.

"Sleeping, well Draco is sleeping but you know Cossette. She's lying awake in bed staring at the ceiling," Narcissa chuckles again.

Luscious nods his head once, "I'm heading to bed. Tomorrow the ministry is going to have a field day. Wouldn't be surprised if they called me in right now." With that said, he strides out of the kitchen and up the stairs, stopping only to peek in to see his daughter and son.

Cossette was still awake, sitting up in her crib and grinning at the ceiling. Luscious runs a hand through his hair. He would admit that his daughter was strange but he loved her nonetheless. When Voldemort had wanted to train her… well, he could only imagine the horrors attached. He'd been willing to throw down his life to keep her from that fate.

Still, something at the back of his mind nags at him. The Dark Lord would not be so easily defeated. Was he truly gone? With one last glance at his daughter he decides he'll keep a sharp eye out and leaves it at that. He sweeps into the room and presses his lips to Cossette's forehead. He'd have done the same fro Draco if he were not such a light sleeper. Finally, he steps from through the door and gently closes it.

0-O-0

Not six years later he felt it. The faintest whisper of evil in his ear. A cool sensation residing in his consciousness, lusting for blood. A persistent nagging. A burning sensation on his left forearm.

Perhaps Luscious was being overly paranoid. Perhaps he'd imagined the entire thing. Perhaps he was overly tired and just needed a good nights rest. Whatever it was caused Luscious to flee from work and all but tear down the door to his daughter's bedroom, where she sat on the floor forcing Draco to participate in a tea party with the house elves.

Narcissa was close on his heels demanding to know what had him in such a state. She caught up to him in the doorway, breathing slightly labored.

Cossette glances up from her teapot and smiles, "Hi daddy! Want some tea?"

Meanwhile, Draco was silently screaming to be rescued with his eyes. His mother notices and chuckles but decides to spare him, "Come along Draco. I'm sorry Cossette, I need to borrow your guest."

Draco stands up so quickly he knock over his teacup and races out the door. Narcissa disappears with him, shooting her husband a cursory glance.

Cossette was still looking at her father questioningly and Luscious finally finds the voice to reply, "No, dear, I'm sorry. I must get back to work. I only came to check on you."

"Why?" Cossette asks, pouring another cup of tea for Dobby.

"No reason, no reason. Please continue with your social gathering. I'll be off then. Good bye, Bella," he says, feeling slightly more at ease.

Cossette nods her head and does her best to imitate what she liked to call her father's 'business face'. Basically, she scrunched up her nose and glared ahead at something only seen by her.

Luscious leaves the room and heads for his study. He settles into the chair behind his desk to think. It was only a few moments later that Narcissa knocked and entered, placing a cup of tea before him, "Drink," she advised, "We can talk about whatever has upset you tonight."

Luscious nods his consent and she remove herself from the room knowing he had something to mull over and her being there would only impede on the process.

He sighs and laces his fingers together. He was almost positive that he'd felt the Dark Lord in his office. His mark had burned for the first time in six years. Albeit, it was more like a small prickling sensation but it had been enough to unnerve him. He was almost positive Voldemort would take Cossette to train her and he'd never see his daughter again.

He shakes his head; he was being positively ludicrous. He'd over reacted and now he felt a little silly. He'd have to make something up for his wife tonight. No need to have her fretting over his overactive imaginings.

Still, he casts a glance at his locked desk drawer, protected with several layers of complex wards to keep sticky little thieves (Cossette was a rather curious young child) from prying into his business. No, he wouldn't go off and do something rash all because of a small tingle in his arm. For all he knows his limb had just fallen asleep. Unconsciously, he rubs the spot.

He makes his way over to his private fireplace and stares at the floo powder, sitting in a crystal bowl on the mantel place. Making a decision he drops onto his hands and knees. Grabbing a small amount in his hands he drops it into the grate and says, "Hogwarts, Severus Snape's quarters!"

Immediately he is looking into one of his most trusted friends office. Severus was sitting on a chair, sipping a cup of tea and reading papers he had to grade. "Severus!" Luscious hisses from the fireplace.

Severus jumps slightly but otherwise is unaffected by the sudden appearance of his friend. He bends over, frowning slightly and asks, "What is it?"

Luscious realizes he's lucky he caught him between classes but presses on, "Did you… feel the mark burn at all?" He asks cautiously.

The affect of his words is instantaneous. Severus stiffens slightly and the mention and looks distinctly ruffles, "No, not at all. Why?"

Luscious breathes a sigh of relief, "Nothing, nothing. I could have sworn that- never mind. Look, I have a favor to ask of you," When Severus quirks an eyebrow he continues, "I was wondering if you could teach Cossette occlumency and potions."

"Why? She is only six. Surely she has no need for such knowledge."

He creases his brows, "I know. I just can't shake this feeling. I want her to be prepared. You were there that night Severus. Besides, it won't hurt."

Severus seems to consider this but relents, "I suppose you are correct. I can come over the weekend I expect."

Luscious nods, "I wanted to get someone to help her anyway. Gave Narcissa a heart attack the other day, Had her first spurt of accidental magic. It was a spectacular disaster," he recalls.

"What happened?"

Luscious chuckles, "She seems to have a gift for transfigurations. Turned herself into a wolf, a blonde wolf. She was stuck like that for about an hour. I don't know how it happened. I think it was her animagus form but Narcissa has expressly forbid her from doing it again on purpose."

Severus raises his eyebrows, "That is impressive. Yes, I'd love to spend more time with my godchildren. I can be there Saturday at one."

They bid each other goodbye and Luscious pulls his head from the fireplace, dusting his shirt off, satisfied. He was able to push that niggling feeling all the way to the back of his head where he hoped it would remain.

* * *

**Alright! Next chapter we're off to Borgin and Burkes. Is that how you spell it? Oh well, I'll figure it out later. Anyway, I decided to revert Luscious to the light side. Can you guess what's in the desk drawer? Review!**

**Like it or not,**

**Juliet (Calliope29)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter but Cossette is my own invention**

* * *

Cossette groans and opens her eyes, blinking at the ceiling and trying to think through the morning haze. Light filtered through the window and blinded her. The sun is millions of miles away, she muses to herself, but somehow has perfect aim. Of course, she this was entirely her own blunder, leaving the curtains open before she fell asleep.

As her brain begins to wake up she remembers why she'd left the curtains drawn. She'd never finished packing for her first year at Hogwarts. Actually, she'd never started. The problem with her was that deadlines just weren't real until she was staring one right in the face. Normally she was better about it but her nerves had gotten the best of her last night and she'd pushed it off.

She pushed herself up, allowing herself two more seconds in her warm cocoon of covers before sliding out of bed. She pulls a robe taunt around her body and stumbles out of her room downstairs.

She wasn't surprised to see that nobody was yet awake. "Dobby?" She calls to her favorite house elf. She was perfectly capable of preparing breakfast on her own but having the eccentric elf help her made it much more fun.

However, the house elf does not answer her call. She frowns. Dobby had been disappearing often. Her parents and brother never noticed but she was curious as to where he went during his missing spells.

Making pancakes didn't sound so appealing now that her sue chef was missing in action. Instead she quickly fixes herself a bowl of oatmeal and drags herself back upstairs.

Back in her room she began throwing books into her trunk haphazardly. She glares at the smiling picture of Gilderoy Lockhart on the back cover. He winked at her every few seconds and she rolls her eyes. What a narcissist. And she had the pleasure of being taught by the royal pompous arse himself.

She makes sure the book is face up when she throws it into the trunk so she wouldn't have to see his face more often then necessary.

With a groan she covers her eyes. His countenance did nothing but remind her of the dilemma she was facing. She'd so been looking forward to going to Hogwarts, from all the letters Draco sent her last year she felt more then prepared. Until the _incident_ yesterday in Flourish and Blots, that is.

The first thing her father did was drag the both of them into Knockturn alley. Well, Draco, who was more then willing to venture into the dingy and dangerous hole of a place, dragged her.

As a matter of fact he'd been looking forward to the trip for days. The first thing he did when Borgin and Burkes was in sight was sprint in and tap a glass of eyeballs. Cossette, on the other hand, cowered into her father's cloak. She felt better once in the shop, there had been some creepy men staring at her on the way in, but made sure to give all the merchandise a wide berth.

Her father haggled for what felt like forever. He'd only taken her along with him so she could keep Draco from accidentally cursing himself by ignoring the one rule her father had set in place: touch nothing. Otherwise he'd have sent her up to the bookshop on her own.

Oh and what a difference that would have made. She could have avoided the whole catastrophe. But no, her brother and (most surprisingly) her father just had to go _brawl_ in the middle of a crowded public area. Well, at least she could say her father hadn't thrown the first punch. The right to say that belonged to the Weasley's.

But it wasn't only that mishap that bothered her. It was more the events that led up to the fight that truly worried her. When Draco had so arrogantly strode downstairs and got in Harry Potter and his friend's face, they looked at _her_ as though they expected her to sprout claws an attack.

They were already disgusted with her and she hadn't even said a word! Would everyone expect her to be that way? Like her brother? Granted, Draco only acted like that in public. At home he was actually very chivalrous and really fun to hang out with.

She throws her last set of robes into the trunk before flopping face first back onto her bed. All she really wanted was for the bed to swallow her whole. She wasn't sure how long she lay there but the next thing she was aware of was a sudden weight on her back.

Her pillow muffled her scream of surprise and the second the weight at removed itself from her back, she flipped over with a glare.

Draco was grinning at her. His hair was sleep mussed but otherwise he looked fully awake. She lightly punches him in the gut and growls, "What was that for you fat arse!"

He pretends to be hurt, both physically and emotionally, but quickly realizes his sister was in a mood, "What's the matter? You look all sad, like a wet cat."

"Nothing," she grumbles, "And I do not look like a wet cat."

Draco snorts, "You're acting like it though. Now come one. What crawled up your arse and died?"

Cossette sighs and sits up. "I guess I'm just nervous, is that allowed?" The last part was uttered snippily.

Draco raises an eyebrow, "Why? You were perfectly fine the other day."

"You wouldn't understand," she mumbles, quickly wiping tears from her face. She wasn't even sure why she was crying. She rarely did, even when she was a young child. It wasn't easy to unwind her and maybe it was her missing house elf or just left over embarrassment from yesterday. Maybe it was just to early in the morning to be fretting over this but she couldn't help it.

Draco's response was immediate, "Hey, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Bella," he soothes, pulling his sister into his arms.

Cossette allows herself to indulge in the safety of his arms for a minute before pulling away and saying, "Sorry, Dragon. I don't know what overcame me."

He pulls his grin back onto his face and says, "Don't. Anyway, Mother told me to tell you to get dressed. So, I'll be off."

She nods and as Draco leaves she calls, "And don't you go putting on two tons of hair gel, Dray! It looks ten times better like it is now!"

She hears him grunt his disapproval and laughs as he makes an obvious b-line for the bathroom, suddenly conscious of his bedhead.

* * *

**Cassie-D1 pointed out to me that I've been miss spelling Lucius, so I'd like to say sorry and I'll keep that in mind! (I never was very good at spelling) This chapter is a bit of a filler but it felt right to end it there so I'll update quickly, have no fear.**

**Secondly, I got a rather rude comment. I had no delusions that I wouldn't get at least a few of those but I'd like to keep them to a bare minimum. The whole idea behind posting my writing is to improve it. I'm not looking for senseless praise. I WANT to be critiqued but I can't read minds. You people have to convey what is wrong about my writing not just that you don't like it. Otherwise I'm blindly grasping for straws. It's like trying to study for a test but not knowing what the test is on.**

**So please review! Constructively, of course ;) **

**Like it or not,**

**Juliet (Calliope29)**


End file.
